


An Audience With the Queen

by meretricula



Series: Lady in Waiting [2]
Category: Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-26
Updated: 2017-09-26
Packaged: 2019-01-05 14:25:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12191655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meretricula/pseuds/meretricula
Summary: After a restless first night in Corus, Shinkokami and her handmaidens are summoned to breakfast with the queen.





	An Audience With the Queen

The man who came to escort Shinkokami and her ladies to their official welcoming breakfast with the queen was barely more than a boy -- maybe Kel's age, maybe even younger -- but his dark hair was already starting to go to silver. It was a startling sight, and Kel was already unsettled from her restless night, although Yuki and Haname had, praise all absent gods, said nary a word upon finding her curled up around Shinko in the princess's bed. She only realized when the youth bowed in very correct Yamani fashion that his right sleeve was pinned shut and empty from the shoulder down: he had lost his arm. "I am Seaver of Tasride, your highness, an assistant to Duke Gareth of Naxen. Her majesty bids me make you welcome and assure you she longs to make your acquaintance this morning. Will it please you to follow me?" 

Shinko waited for Kel to nod, signaling that she was armed and ready to depart the relative safety of their suite, before answering. "Of course, my lord," she said. "Ladies?" 

Kel, Yuki and Haname took up their usual positions in a triangle around the princess, with Kel at her right hand and Haname guarding the rear. Kel's glaive was left behind, having been deemed inappropriate for even an informal royal audience, but the short sword and dagger at her waist were a comfortable compromise. Better yet was the free movement her hakama allowed: Kel put on formal kimono only when required, and even then under protest. Shinko had also chosen a very plain outfit in which to meet the queen, although of course made of the finest materials; Haname had quoted a proverb on the wisdom of modesty and Yuki had taken out her own simplest kimono with only a few wistful glances at the more brightly colored and elaborately embroidered robes they had brought. 

"How does one become an assistant to Duke Gareth so young, my lord of Tasride?" Yuki asked as they made their way through the winding palace halls, taking up the burden of polite conversation when Shinkokami remained silent. "Even in the Islands we have heard that the Duke of Naxen is as the right hand of the king."

"His grace is a man of great influence, but I can boast no such claim myself," Seaver said. "It is a short tale, and not very interesting. I was in training to be a knight, but -- " He gestured toward his right sleeve. "When that was no longer possible, I asked his majesty how I might still be useful to the crown. He said... he said that if I could learn to wield a quill as well as Duke Gareth, it would more than compensate for the loss of my sword." 

"You were very brave, then," Shinko said. 

"Foolish, your highness," Seaver corrected. "I disobeyed my commander in the field, and I was very lucky to have survived at all. But I thank you for your graciousness." 

Kel winced internally, hardly able to imagine how badly that brief recital of facts must have grated on their young escort, but Haname rescued the moment with a quick snap of her fan and an innocuous question about the architecture of the palace. Shinkokami recovered almost as quickly — she had always been the better student in their lessons in meaningless conversation — and helped carry a lively discussion about Tortallan tapestries all the way to the queen's suite. "Her imperial highness, Princess Shinkokami of Yaman," Seaver announced, after rapping politely on the open door. "The ladies Haname noh Ajikuro, Yukimi noh Daiomoru, and Keladry of Mindelan." 

"My dear, what a pleasure to meet you at last," said the queen, rising to her feet with a warm smile of welcome. Even with the marks of middle age on her face, it was very easy to see why she was called Thayet the Peerless. "Please, come in, all of you -- yes, Seaver, you as well. I cannot tell you how glad Jonathan and I are to have you here at court with us." 

"Your majesty is too kind," Shinko murmured, bowing. Her voice held perfectly steady, betraying none of the nervousness Kel knew she was feeling: there was no figure more important in a Yamani bride's life than her mother-in-law. A husband would share her bed, but his mother would rule her life. 

"I've been called many things in my time, my dear, but rarely kind," Thayet said. "But we'll have more than time enough to know each other better. And I think here is someone who knows you very well already — "

"Lady Ilane!" exclaimed Shinkokami as Kel's mother entered the room from another doorway, one that presumably led further into the queen’s private suite. Kel bit down her reflexive outburst of "Mama!" and bowed, aware of Yuki and Haname doing the same in her peripheral vision. 

"Welcome to Tortall, your highness," Lady Ilane said in her deep lovely voice. "Yukimi, it is a pleasure to see you once again — I did hope that you would come with Shinkokami. And Lady Haname, we are honored by your presence. I hope you will all come to consider Tortall your home." She waited until Shinko, Yuki and Haname had murmured their polite responses before stretching out her hands. "Keladry."

Shinkokami nodded permission, and Kel went to take her mother's hands. She had grown since the last time they had seen each other, almost a year ago: she was taller than Ilane now. "Lady mother," Kel said, deeply respectful. In the six years since her parents had left the Yamani emperor's court, her sister Patricine had been as much of a mother as she had needed, but Ilane, pirate slayer, favored of the emperor, defender of the sacred swords, was still Kel's idol. 

"Welcome home, my darling," Ilane said. Her voice quivered, almost too slightly to hear, and Kel was shocked to see her eyes fill with tears. 

"Mama," she said. All she had cared about when she was ten was being at Cricket's side, whether that meant staying in Yaman with Patricine or flying to the moon. She hadn't thought at all about how her mother might have felt, leaving both her eldest and her youngest daughters behind. "I am... very happy to see you again." 

Ilane blinked several times and then smiled, once more the serene ambassador's wife that Kel remembered. "And I you, but we mustn't keep the ladies waiting for their breakfast. How was your journey? We dined with Lady Alanna last night, but she was so eager to hear about her family that I'm afraid she had little to say." Still holding Kel by the hand, she led her over to the table where maids in neat uniform were already beginning to lay out the meal. 

"That isn't entirely true," Thayet remarked. "Alanna did mention her squire was quite impressed by the pole arm you use, Keladry. Is it a Yamani weapon?" 

"It is called _naginata_ , your majesty," Shinkokami said, braving the queen's attention to rescue Kel. "You would say… glaive, I think. It is considered a woman's weapon, in the Islands." 

"Her highness is very skilled in its use," Kel added, and ignored the kick that Shinko aimed at her under the table in retaliation. No matter what the imperial advisors had warned, she doubted very much that Thayet jian Wilima would prefer a bride ignorant of the arts of war for her son. 

"Excellent," Thayet said, clapping her hands. "I would like to learn." 

"I will arrange a practice time, if it please your majesty," Ilane offered. Shinko nodded a little woodenly, perhaps thinking of the prospect of having to hit her future mother-in-law with a stick. "It will be such a pleasure to spend time with my daughter." 

Thayet smiled, warmly enough that Kel thought Shinko might stop worrying about her mother-in-law's opinion of her. "Yes — for us both to spend time with our daughters."


End file.
